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WWE: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
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- Published on Apr 14, 2026
- John Oliver discusses how the WWE takes care of its wrestlers - and how it doesn’t.
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"I'm not gonna make 65"
Still hurts me today when Piper said that.
Alex rest in peace Roddy, I watch They Live annually in his honor
R.i.p. piperq
Yeah.... My childhood was filled with kids who loved him and all those guys who began wrestling on local TV. I think the first time I saw him I was 9 or 10, around 1977 or so, screaming at the camera, inside a broadcast booth, with chicken a wired window to fend off beer bottles being flung inside.... when I was a teen, the WWF began and that's where he went. I thought he'd "made the big time" but wow. He even did some acting..... It's just sad.
It's a punch in the gut. Every. Single. Time.
Watching him portray "The Maniac" on Always Sunny makes it even sadder.
I'm not even a wrestling fan, but the guy being amazed at the money raised and saying "I guess those years really meant something" genuinely made me emotional
That’s Jake Roberts. It’s worth watching the documentary about his recovery.
Same but I felt that way when I saw rody rody piper.
Yeah that was from the film The Resurrection of Jake the Snake. It’s about Jake the Snake fighting his addiction and trying to get healthy. Fantastic documentary and brought tears to my eyes.
I became emotional too. You could feel his pain and joy.
@paolaquiroz581 why don't you make like the WWE and get the F out? ayyyyy
Here after Vince McMahon’s resignation, this episodes segments about Vince have aged like a fine wine.
Legit. This popped up as a suggestion and I thought, "oooh how does it hit now McMahon is gone?"
Who took over?
@wolfe6819 a big company that holds also the UFC and in charge is HHH, a former wrestler
@sebideee Oh so that's why nothing got better post-Vince.
@Aethelia are you F@#$ING kidding me? No better health care for wrestlers?
What a perfect time to make a part 2 of this segment.
I have a feeling that's coming this season now that the new season starts in a few days. There's no way they're letting the Vince scandal slide by.
I would like an update. This one was so good and with Vince and the treatment of women wrestlers, it'll be interesting to see how he tackles it.
Yes, God yes yes!!
Your reply has me looking for the suggestion box lmao.
Let’s hope so… cuz the shit Vince has done is horrible. No pun intended
Jake The Snake saying "I guess all those years meant something" utterly broke my heart.
he's alive and well on aew
I love Jake, thats so sad
Literally made me cry
He certainly made it mean something again when he joined AEW
Eirika Stokes Hey Jake is a damn trooper still being his bad self on AEW.
Playing the role of the evil villain while being the evil villain is som pretty meta stuff..
The fun part is that he will get booed and signs are being held up during the tapings and he can attribute all of that not to his actual person but the villain persona. It's actually genius.
Playing an asshole character while being an asshole IRL, yeah. It's a move we like to call the "Doug Walker."
@apollorainer1991 It's a prophylactic for his ego.
*Kevin Spacey left the group chat*
That is the only thing I give Vince any credit for
Remember how the wwe still calls them independent contractors while: Having exclusive contracts, not letting them have youtube or twitch without getting a cut, LITERALLY OWNING THEIR NAMES AND IMAGES
Yep. God bless America, eh? This is about the only country on earth I can imagine a company like WWE getting away with these types of business practices. It’s not at all surprising that Vince McMahon is good friends with Trump. Good enough friends that Vince’s wife Linda was able to score a position in Trump’s cabinet. Birds of a feather 🪶
@Pretermit_Sound Well, Linda and Vince have been separated for years, and they only haven’t divorced for the benefits. And honestly, Linda was one of the few people in Trump’s extensive history of cabinet appointees who wasn’t a complete boob.
@redjed100 oh, I didn’t know they were separated. Interesting.
You’re right though, about her being one of the more “adult” figures in the Trump admin. I don’t think she lasted the whole term either, probably because she had at least SOME scruples.
WWE get paid every time John Cena is in a movie or TV show because they literally own the name John Cena. Y'know, The name he was born with.
Yeah i can see trademarking something, even like Kevin Owens (real name Kevin Steen) but someone's ACTUAL birth name? There's a reason wrestlers use aliases and gimmicks
After watching this, I realize how Incredibly Lucky Dwayne Johnson is that he found such success as an actor, he managed to Get out of Wrestling before it killed him too
Agreed and same with Batista. I'm just happy for them.
Fuck I thought about it too. I even started to think that's the case for most superstars.
@whitesoxrules and John Cena is moving into the acting career too now
@tomhill3248 Mark Calaway (Undertaker) almost broke character because he was genuinely worried that Mick Foley was seriously hurt.
@caseykendall5506 He was seriously hurt, but he's Mick Foley, he didn't give a fuck.
"I would accept no responsibility for their deaths. None whatsoever."
Now that's what I call negligence.
Proceeds to act like a little child.
@Illusive1313 It was a pretty bad move on his part. He'd already dismissed the guy interviewing him because he was being asked "Tough" questions. Smacking the sheets of paper out of his hands made it worse because it made him look less believable (in context, didn't see the full interview that the footage is taken from).
Volume 16!
So who is he responsible for? Vince has taken care of the families of wrestlers who were either severely injured in the ring and Owens family after he died.
Tempi Tempster he was in character. He did the same thing with Jim Acosta and later told him in the second interview he was in character.
This is just a promo to John Oliver taking over and reforming WWE by defeating McMahon in a hell in the cell match
Wrestlemania 36 Main Event. BOOK IT!!!!!
I wish.
If they did a match, they would do like they did in the Trump angle and have John and Vince use surrogates to fight for their causes.
"OH MY GAAAAWD!"
Wrestlers should do a walk out with the fans.
I love how much of a genuine fan John Oliver is, and we don't have to sit here and listen to him make fun of us for being so stupid for enjoying this sport
You obviously mean "sport" cuz without competition, it's just really bad actors doing their own dangerous and ultimately unrewarded stunts for your entertainment with not so meritorious (predetermined) outcomes. Historically whichever ones Vince McMahon thinks will keep you buying merch, pay-per-views and tickets to the cartoonist crap.
All that said, do you, buddy. I mean you're being had haha but the concussions, broken backs and lacerated organs ARE REAL (cuz the performers are also being had 🤑) so fuck it, ENJOY! 🤘😆
@RyanD8293 I'm just a stupid wrestling fan I don't understand your big words
@RyanD8293 One of the douchiest replies I've seen in a long time.
@RyanD8293 I love how the continuous argument against pro wrestling fans is "it's predetermined", as if we're completely clueless to the notion. At least kayfabe is openly dead. If you've ever seen referees with Tom Brady, you'll know the NFL is pretty close to predetermined, too, lol. The wrestlers are athletes AND entertainers. It's just that simple, yet just that hard. But I'm sure their success in Hollywood shows how inept (I obviously mean "inept") they actually are at that 😉
@casualeann Hollywood? 😂😂😂😂😂😂...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Seeing Jake get teary when he realized his fans still care really pulled my heart strings.
Same. I don’t even watch wrestling and I almost cried. It was powerful.
Jake gave the people everything he had to give.
Me, too, and I don’t know anything about the guy.
I was just sitting there: "I'm not crying...I'm not crying...I'm not crying...I'm not crying"
@Casey5693 same here.
While the “character” Vince is an asshole, it’s important to note that the real Vince is also an asshole.
-John Oliver, 2019
Never has a more perfect phrase been uttered. Thank you, John.
couldn't believe how bloody true he is
I was watching the video and then went into the comment and he said that right at as I read that lol
He has Trump lips. Just sayin'.
Ian Nedved It’s also important to note that Vince’s face has also been deep in the actual asshole of one of his wrestlers so if you need any solace out of any of this, there’s one.
He's so good at it, isn't he? 😂
"While the character Vince is an arsehole is important to know that the real Vince is also an arsehole..."😂😂
#Facts
Yeah I think we’re all figured out that Vince McMahon was a bit of a scumbag but now🤷♂️I just accepted the fact he’s been a punching bag for every wrestler coming his way since forever talk about “pitching”ideas😈.
And apparently got some intimate time with a Mirror at one point.
He’s actually not an asshole in real life he’s not that bad of a person
Oh it's true-- it's DAMN true!
You need to do a follow up story to this. In the past two years they’ve blocked wrestlers from having twitch accounts and more, and have released wrestlers due to “budget cuts” during the pandemic despite being the most profitable they’ve ever been. Also, the Saudi blood money deal. So many ways you can go. A truly horrific company.
👀👀
No kizzy
Just make one in general about combat sports/combat entertainment being monopolies that exploit their workers with no real security (UFC and WWE)
Didnt you watch the vid lol. Wwe already is blood money. Why all americans lack self awareness
@souleymaneadellah1176 😭 ok guy
How he reacted on that real sports interview tells you everything you need to know about the guy.
It’s not really a trait exclusive to him. It’s an old school mentality whenever someone outside of the business criticizes it. A wrestler by the name of Vader got arrested back in the 90s in Kuwait because he assaulted the interviewer for calling wrestling fake
And the undertaker was there too just watching. Doing nothing.
He was just playing you and the interviewer. That's his character. You're a mark.
Kinda. He legit wants the fans to think the people actually act the way they act. But yes I would absolutely put all my money on him acting that way in his personal life. Legit psychopath
@BigBadJerryRogers sure but he isn't an asshole.
Why doesn't he provide proper care/pension etc for his wrestlers?
It was a total eye opener for me. I had no idea that all of my favorite childhood heroes have suffered and/or are suffering as I enjoy watching them go in the ring. Thanks John.
Majority of the well-known wrestlers from the 80s are almost becoming extinct. That is scarily concerning.
They could always get real jobs!
@nightlightabcd They have real jobs.
^Or they could've been given the means while wrestling to support themselves once those days were done. Most of these wrestlers aren't able to get traditional 9 to 5 jobs, and many are so physically damaged from wrestling that they can't easily do manual labor or anything too strenuous. Like Piper said, many go back literally because they have no other choice and desperately need the paycheck
@nightlightabcd like what genius?If ya can't stand for more than an hour,do what?McDonald's?What Real job pays for Extreme medical expenses accrued from the Previous Real Job?You fuckin shithead
You say the butt thing is cathartic, but knowing Vince approved that bit beforehand kinda gives it a different meaning...
😂😂😂
Don't ruin it!
My thoughts exactly 😆 he loves the 🍩
@Nicole-in5od it's all kayfabe
This shines a whoooole new light on that clip
I always assumed they received really good health care, surgeries needed, physical therapy, etc. I've been to one live show and holy smokes they definitely need health coverage.
Oh sure, they’ll pay for their surgeries if it gets them back in the ring quicker. But once you can’t perform, you’re screwed. You get kicked out the door. Oh and other health care and benefits, not ever. I can only hope it will improve with Vince McMahon gone but I doubt it. His daughter and that greedy thumb Nick Kahn will do the same.
Nothing. It's the most brutal job I know of and there's no safety net at all.
Afaik the company has a policy of voluntarily providing good medical care and paying the bills of their currently active non-employees but doesn't accept any legal commitment to do so.
WWE make billions per year, absolutely no reason to not pay health insurance. This is similar to UFC, and also how the NFL treats cheerleaders. In all honesty though, if I was paid millions, I'd definitely set money aside for health Insurance. Many wrestlers, mma fighters don't make that much though, especially outside of these corporations.
As a kid I believed this too. When I got into the insurance industry did it upset me knowing they aren’t provided this by WWE because it easily would be too expensive.
Expensive meaning they just don’t want to pay it.
It's incorrect to say they're treated like circus animals. Most circus animals are treated better by law.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE UNDERTAKER SAID TO JOHN CENA!
Ohh man, that's a brutal truth.
Exactly! When's the last time we let circus's explode tigers through a table?
So humans are the real animals...
@ButterBehemoth
No. It's the unending human greed. That is the real problem.
Seeing that Rowdy Roddy interview in this context was like a knife to the gut.
So sad. Great wrestling personality gone way too soon.
I don't even watch Wrestling and that bit really got to me..
madpuppet He was my guy, ya know? 😔
You should watch his interview about sodomy, than. It'll make the tightest of ButtHoles feel victimized. (It IS a thing)
I am crying
As weird as it is, a British guy who talks about politics might just be the guy to make enough noise to change WWE's worker related issues
☝️👏👏
I hope so
I mean, he did assist in the sponsor boycott of FIFA for Blatter to resign
cpk1994 The good ol cinism.
cpk1994 yet he has more relevancy then you'll ever get in your lifetime.
Fun fact: while not in the WWE, Lincoln is very much enshrined in the wrestling hall of fame. Apparently the gangly lawyer was defeated only once in nearly 300 matches.
Well, lawyer are rager in law profession albeit polite ones.
He was NOT gangly lmao, Lincoln was jacked!
@caseking3656 I meant gangly in the terms of having a massive reach advantage due to his height. He's also quoted concerning the cultivation and enjoyment of cannabis.
People keep commenting like "wow, a non-political episode!" seemingly unaware that just because something doesn't mention a politician's name, doesn't mean there aren't politics. This is totally political, workers' rights are a very valuable political issue to discuss, including workers whose job is punching each other.
As a huge LWT fan, I was kinda happy to watch an episode that didn't feature an ugly ass politician like Pelosi, or McConnell or AOC.
Fake punching but you got the jist.
politics is life
Add in that Oliver's boss lost the Monday Night Wars to a man who put Trump in his hall of fame, and this is Kayfabe News.
Considering Vince's wife is part of Trump's cabinet, it's actually very political.
I'm not going to lie I really thought we would see Oliver exploding through a table by the end of the episode
agreed.
Right?!
But then he'd have to change the name of his show a second time...
The show was just renamed to "unfortionatlly not a man exploding through a table" so you know he wouldn´t do it.
As awesome as it would be, hes not a trained professional. Wresting is staged yes obviously, no doubt, but the things they do are still very dangerous and can very much hurt a normal person that doesnt bust through tables for a living.
Can't wait to how this is handled on Raw and Smackdown if fans start chanting for health insurance
"Health in-sur-ance" would make a pretty good chant tbh
I suspect that most fans are also Republicans, so that probably won't happen.
My brother is going to a live event and I am going to force him to take a healthcare sign!!
@AnexoRialto that's actually not true. Most wrestling fans actually tend to be more left-leaning in their views. There's studies that back this up, but I can't remember where I found them off the top of my head.
Greg K you would be surprised. New York, LA, Chicago, and Philadelphia are the biggest markets for wrestling.
Scott Hall just passed away at the age of 63, Roddy's words of not making it to 65 are haunting even to this day
Wasn’t he a crackhead
Contrary to how OP’s comment unintentionally might make it seem, Razor Ramon did not die due to complications for having spent his youth in professional wrestling, he died after falling in his home and then them fixing it caused a blood clot, which then lead to him suffering *three* heart attacks that finally killed him. He did not leave this world at 63 due to the direct fault of WWE like Owen Hart at 34, or Chris Benoit at 40, or Eddie Guerrero at 38.
Yes, but everyone knows how much of an alcoholic he was in the 90s. Even his coworkers back then knew it. There were attempts to help him, but sadly it didn’t work until the 10s when DDP helped him with yoga. Even WCW didn’t do much either. Let me remind you that even an AA program didn’t exist back then.
His past of alcohol abuse did diminish his years. It was an indirect cause, but it still hurt his body.
@dannyhargreaves1326AA was founded in 1935,so I reckon that a program existed in the 80's 😂
@rockarola55 I meant for wrestlers, mostly in WWE. They didn’t have a rehab program I meant.
I'm surprised there was no mention of Chris Benoit. One of the main reasons they banned chair shots to the head.
They banned chair shots to the head but not the flying headbutt thing Chris Benoit used to do.
That’s a lot of ground to cover. There probably should be a part two just about that.
Probably has more to do with the fans disgust after Mick Foley's THIRTEEN unprotected chair shots to the head by The Rock.
Might have been a purposeful omission because what he did went way beyond the scope of what John is talking about.
You mean Crispen Waaaaahhhhh!?
Vince McMahon's response: they will create a heel caracter based on John Oliver and mock him for a year or two...
LeCaktus sadly this has a 99.9999% of coming true
LeCaktus he brings back Wade Barrett to do this
You actually are not far off. The kicker will be no one will find it funny other than Vince. Vince will find it hilarious.
Possibly John Oliver himself. I mean, Jon Stewart did it.
He would really do that
This is just a set up for a storyline feud that will culminate with John Oliver vs Vince McMahon in next year's Wrestlemania.
trylobyte07 I’d honestly watch, and I don’t really care about wrestling
If John Oliver wins wrestlers get classified as employees but if McMahon wins John has to go back to England or get his head shaved or something lol
Great comment. Hat off to you sir
Probably a tables match
@alimarzooq1395 Desk match.
Don't forget Hulk Hogan was the person who told Vince about the Union, as if you needed another reason to hate him
And the Hulkster is gone now, too. Although he was up there in years, he still died of a heart attack.
Not a big wrestling fan, but that's just insane that they don't provide full lifetime healthcare considering what the wrestlers have done for the WWE
Absolutely agree! Not a fan either, but this is just WRONG! 😡
Seriously, what is wrong with Vince No Man?
How is the job of wrestler any different (economically) than logger, oil rig worker, cop, or commercial fisherman?
Replaceable employees doing (voluntarily) a dangerous job.
@krakenmetzger when was the last time you saw a logger RKO a fucking tree with another logger?
@ricksanchez6777 have you met loggers? They might not be on the level of the WWE but damn are they fun to watch XD
That moment Roddy Piper says I am not going to make 65 :(
Arko heartbreaking
Shit he's lucky he made it to 50. Most don't
@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa669 good point...wrong tone lol idk
Stephanie Logan I'm not your boy toy! 🎶
So sad 😞
"DR." Oz burn right in the middle. It brought me joy
Is dr Oz still a thing ? Haven't looked at TV in quite a while. All i know is he was removed from several medical panels, bout it.
Is that show The Drug Dealers I mean the Doctors still on TV? Just wondering.
The saddest thing about Dr. Oz is that his fan base was not diminished even after all the news came out about him. My 80 year old grandmother just sees the word doctor and believes that it is a real medical show; of course she is going to take a "real" Doctor's word over mine. People like Dr. Oz should be stopped
@roberttorres4116 good question. I looked it up and yes it is. This shows when some "drug dealer " has cult followers and some people still quote him as " science ", it means he still makes the network money and it's hard to get them off the air. Also, guess what channel it is on.
@333angeleyes Yeap, and even government tried and they couldn't do anything about it. Which kinda, sorta makes scenes because freedom of speech is for everyone or no one. But there has to be something that someone can do about people like him, psychics, rehab places, cults and fake churches
He is an evil Ceo who plays an evil Ceo on his storylines? That's some serious self-awareness there.
Some people revel in the role of a villain...
It lets him ignore any criticism and deflect from actual problems.
>"He's a piece of shit"
>>>"oh, but that's just a character, it's all a script"
>"No, he's like, *actually* a piece of shit. Like, he's worse IRL"
>>>"He's a heel, it's just a wrestling thing"
Because he knows the fans will eat it up like candy. And he's right. Long as they get their daily dose of sweaty men and even sweatier women they couldn't care less.
I remember not too long ago WWE made a documentary where everyone close to Vince tried to make the distinction between Vince McMahon and the "Mr. McMahon" character on TV. The general consensus of his family and former employees was they were the same guy despite Vince believing otherwise. If anything, Vince isn't self-aware that his character on TV and the man behind the camera are one in the same.
It’s easy to not get pissed off at someone being a shit person if right before you would the Man has one of his own “independent Contractors” shove His Face into Another one of his “Independent Contractors” Asses.
Given how WWE has been treating its stars, and the rise of AEW, I would love John to revisit this.
yeah expose aew for joining and not making the change
yeah damn. WWE has been killing it and aew is likely to die soon
@thenycestmc apparently AEW ain't any better.
I'm from 2030, and wwe just released The Rise and Fall of Aew
Wwe still on top
John Oliver, I think you should do a follow-up on this story. Two more wrestlers died this week.
Who?
@spider-keithasmr49 The Silver King and Ashley Massaro.
@cedmondsdragonwing oh right
4more
Should've done real wrestling. Pins and submissions are more fun.
That man reacting to the 7000 dollars fans raised for him genuinely made me cry.
I was even more sad that it was only $7000! People back the dumbest crap with thousands more than the goal amount, and this poor guy needs something actually important.
Humans Zuck I mean it was $7,000 on just the first day of a 30 day Indiegogo campaign. He was asking for $9,000 which means it was a resounding success. I don’t know how much he got in the end but if he got 7 out of 9 thousand on day 1 of 30 I’m willing to bet that crowdfund ended way over the minimum they were asking for.
I had a pretty emotional response, also.
@humanszuck5155 He wound up raising $29,547, so no worries.
Same. I had to fight back the tears cause its too early for that.
"Maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon's dead"
~ CM Punk 2011
the world will be better!
a line written most likely by mcmahon himself since he admitted to writing most main event storylines. so maybe even he knows he's an asshole.
@ikhalid1418 Nah, that was all Punk, they basically let him go off in that infamous promo
@ikhalid1418 Punk was nearly to quit WWE hours before that happen, those minutes with Open Mic made him to stay a few more years.
R R echoed by Dean Ambrose/Jon Moxley on Talk is Jericho
7:55 And Owen Hart didn't just die from health complications. He died by falling nearly 80 ft into the ring because the WWE thought it was a good idea to not only force him to do a stunt that he only performed a couple times before, but to use a quick release harness that couldn't properly support his weight.
Over the Edge, May 23 1999, Kemper Area, Kansas City Missouri. Thanks Vince. 😡
also they penny pitched when it came to hiring the Rigging company. if WWF used a professional Rigger, Owen would still be alive.
@HarbingerOfBattle McMahon, and more pointedly, Vince Russo
And McMahon went on with the pay-per-view telecast after the paramedics wheeled Hart's corpse away. "The show must go on...and no refunds!"
Yep, he was 34 by the way. We still get sickened by that. Obviously.
I really mean it: Thank you John Oliver
Adel Sayadkooh we should rlly thank him for making fun of donald largegassyorb alone
@Adel Sayadkooh Fuck you, Gaza is under the bombs, babies are dying and you worry about wrestlers...
You oughta be ashamed of yourself...
@robcoIncorp Shut up
@robcoIncorp totally missed the point of the whole story.
Pretty much on point
I'm genuinely surprised that John Oliver is into professional wrestling. I just expected him to be into whatever Puffins do.
That got a chuckle from me.
greatest comment on youtube, well done sir
@ricksanchez6777 but I thought puffins loved wrestling!
This comment sounds like it was written by John Oliver somehow.
Fun fact: They wrestle.
Pay for healthcare! (clap clap clap-clap-clap)
Pay for healthcare! (clap clap clap-clap-clap)
Pay for healthcare! (clap clap clap-clap-clap)
I really hope they start chanting this on Raw tonight
Is that tonight?
You need those guys that start the chant off.....bring your friends!
I love John Oliver!
I'd so love a follow up to this one, Vince's hush money payments, releasing 180 people during a pandemic, the Saudi blood money, and how AEW was essentially started in spite of WWE as a true alternative, or how just last week they fired a superstar (who's whole gimmick was that she's sexy) because her fantime page got leaked and she was being too sexy (it's the whole not actually an independent contractor bit).
Also apparently Vince stepped down last year and now his daughter is in charge. Nepotism, ain't it great?
And now Vince tries to sell the company, Steph steps down as CEO. And all that when the product is objectly better now
I really want to see how this goes.
Was never into wrestling as a fan, but knew a few wrestlers and/or their loved ones. Many start careers here in Louisville at Ohio Valley Wrestling.
This was a great episode but it does need an update. Especially with all the recent news. 👍
After all this, we better get a WWE II this season.
I don’t even watch wrestling, and even I know you could make a full video on just Vince
"Wrestling is better than the things you like"
-John Oliver
It sure is John ruclips.net/video/rnvSs3HEz2o/video.html it sure is. There will never ever be another show like monday night raw in the 90s, but some people got fucking hurt.
Vince writing a script: " i should get my face plunged between two robust cheeks... yea, for the storyline."
Christa Carol I hope those cheeks were very showered...
After a 20 plus minute match, even if those cheeks were well showered I doubt it mattered
@bradcarver8127 timing is a everything!
My mistake I assumed this referred to DX shoving Vince in Big Shows ass. I’m sure Rikishi showered prior to this segment
I know right😂😂
I'm shocked he didn't mention wwe can extend contracts without the employee consent.
How the hell is that a thing?
Just like that... Luke Harper just got another 6 months on his contract
@bjam89 The clause that he mentioned, where if they are out with injury for a certain amount of time they can be fired, instead of firing they can also just tack that time onto the end of the contract as well. Despite the fact that said injury happened on the job.
Don’t you mean they can extend contracts without the independent contractor’s consent?
Leilani Dru Yes, as states in their contract. They can not only get fired if they’re out for 6+ weeks but WWE has the option to instead add on your contract by the time you’re out. They got three choices: Do Nothing, Fire You or add time on your contract
This type of "independent contracting" is actually a crime here. It's called "disguised employment". Those who caught doing this pays a huge fine and must end the practice. In case of workplace accidens, must be full responsible.
Where?
@leebarbs7176 I don't know where GT is from, but in Sweden this type of arrangement wouldn't be allowed. A company can't replace employees with independent contractors in order to avoid liabilities as an employer.
It's also illegal in the US...
@Andy99856how come? its happening? genuinely asking
@felinemoonchildthis is fact, just throw money at politicians and then they can pass laws that deregulate the rich people business so they make more money.
I seriously expected that by the end John would be slammed into a table, with a graphic that said:
LAST WEEK TONIGHT, NOW WITH A GUY EXPLODING THROUGH A TABLE with John Oliver
There should be a follow up show to show what happened at the WrestleMania. And John, please do this in that.
Exactly! I'm highly dissapointed!
I was about to write that. good that I saw the comments first
To be sincere, Oliver doesn't have the balls to take a decent bump. I mean, even David Arquette has wrestled. Jim Cornette is not a true wrestler, and he has taken massive bumps.
Oliver is a comedian, not a wrestler.
I would’ve paid real money to see that ..
The Undertaker BETTER get some Damn Healthcare!!
Healthcare to a guy called the Dead Man. Seems kind of weird, don't it? :)
Abe Bri , indeed. He's going to end soon his "staying alive" streak an become another role of Deathman (and not the American Badass nor the Mortician, nor the Phenom). He's risking it all by wrestling still in his mid 50s
If our country wasn't run by assholes he'd have it
Hes a million...
Hes a fucking millionaire he can afford it
Wrestlers deserve basic worker's rights as much as anybody.
And, than some. They deserve EVERYTHING that falls under "danger pay".
k
No.....this is total random. Someone who jumps off the top rope as a job is not entitled to the same healthcare bracket as a teacher or a 7-11 employee. Threy need something but they have to assume a huge part of the responsibility.
Fuzzycuffsqt Unfornuately we’re seeing this trend of being unable to unionize, having worker’s comp, difficult work schedule under contract throughout different parts of the private and public sectors. I’m glad Oliver was able to at least bring awareness to some of these practices
@BigBadJerryRogers You keep saying this throughout the comments, yet you refuse to acknowledge that the wrestlers don't create the scripts, nor are they able to control the actions of their "opponents." There's a safe way to do wrestling - especially when it's scripted - and what we have now isn't it.
Not only was Owen's death an avoidable accident, there is also the Montreal Screw Job... so yeah, that Brett Hart has reason to be pissed at Vince is a massive understatement.
bret’s gripe with how vince handled owen’s death was that the show continued, which was unbelievably digesting and disrespectful. he’s said “what if it was shane, austin” would the show have continued? vince has no capability for emotions im sure
@rima7286No capability for emotions? He bawled his eyes out talking about Andre being gone. He surely cares about people. Just a very select few, and still in the wrong ways. He lost that money train and it destroyed him. Has to wipe his tears with 1mil dollar bills every night.
As a diehard WWE fan, this is so true. John, you are a beast. This is truth.
Spread the word...
it's true it's damn true
Aaaand today mcmahon sues
ashuhleaaa I want to see these people chant and have signs.
Ramen.
I'm really hoping AEW will provide some good competition that provides most/all these needed benefits and force WWE to re-evaluate how it does business. Because unfortunately as the Saudi deal shows us, Vince is happy to listen to fans, right up until he thinks it will get between him and money.
(Also stop treating Asuka so poorly goddammit...)
CONFIRMED : Wrestlemania 35
VINCE MCMAHON V/S JOHN OLIVER
I’LL FUCKING BE THERE, MATE!
Why do I picture Vince being being bitch slapped by John for an hour as the cheering gets louder? XD
Jeff Sian don’t worry I picture that too
Oliver could be the new Andy Kaufman of Wrestling.
i hope Oliver gets slammed on a table and legitimately get hurt to show us that wow wrestling is real
One of the most troubling things is the fact that the wrestlers John featured in this piece were very high profile, legendary wrestlers, and were still treated incredibly poorly. Imagine the more mid-tier wrestlers who commit just as much and are even LESS valued by the WWE. This issue has been well documented for years, hopefully Oliver's piece finally shines enough light on it to see something get done.
Imagine living in a country where you can't afford healthcare even if you're a famous wrestler...
Lol we seen it where because someone looked at Vince a bad way he got fired oh and yes he was a mid card
If you're interested in seeing some of their harrowing stories, the 2015 documentary "Prescription thugs" by Chris Bell depicts some lesser known wrestlers struggles with drug abuse, and ultimately, deaths (as well as drug abuse in other sports).
@LordDragox412 being famous doesn't mean you are paid well. It's pretty obvious with these wrestlers.
@davidboniface858 I think they ARE paid well, it's just that having to pay for their own health care eats up practically everything they make.
The Lincoln joke hits a lot harder when you remember he’s the only president in the wrestling hall of fame (his trademark move was the choke slam)
the chant should be "HEALTH INSURANCE" **clap clap clapclapclap**
Stewie clapping huh
“They deserve it” *clap clap. Clap clap clap*
@uninac maybe like alternate it 2?
And when they get tired of that chant... “LONG TERM HEALTH CARE!!” 👏 - 👏 - 👏👏👏
"WE WANT UNIONS!" **clap clap clapclapclap**
I would like to humbly suggest as a chant, for people attending RAW and particularly Smackdown today and tomorrow, "GIVE THEM HEALTH CARE *CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCLAP*"
We can also tweet #GiveThemHealthcare to @VinceMcMahon and @WWE and @WrestleMania . There's enough of us following across different WWE social media pages that our voice can't be ignored if we can mobilize even 0.1% of the followers
That’s a catchy protest chant. I love it!
Good God, they deserve it.
daverboy17 DUDE!!!! If every arena does that it will be amazing
I can guarantee that you are getting to see this echo at WrestleMania
Once again Jon Oliver sheds light on an issue that nobody is talking about. WWE needs to be held accountable for their actions
Jerminator 356 what do you mean “held accountable”?
Kurt S You really don't know what the phrase "held accountable" means?
@stevemygoodman7809 How is that unclear
@cpk1994 what is your issue with Oliver, you made a very similar comment on another part of the comments section for this video. are you being a smarmy little cynic because you need attention??? Are you an ex- wrestler named chad who had a dream and it didn’t come true? Not in the way you’d hoped and now your just being cynical toward J.O. because at this point you just dare not hope, because that would be another little death...?
MechaMew2 it’s a broad statement. Do you want them banned? Do you want them fined? Do you want them to fire Vince?
How is it clear to you what that vague statement means? There is only one way to hold someone accountable?
"Morally subterranean" is a perfect phrase. John Oliver is timeless.
yeah i'm adding it to my vocab
The NFL's plan for retired players has been a literal lifesaver for my grandfather. They pay for most of his nursing home expenses and he has a pension from them.
who is your grandfather? if I may ask.
Anthony Peyton Manning
@anthony639 Ernest Clark, linebacker for the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals in the 1960's.
@ReapTheWhirlwind I have his ultimate legend card in Madden Ultimate Team.
Their PLAN for retired players? Lol they don't even give them financial advisors when they're in the NFL they don't give a fuck about the players after they leave. There have been so many cases of players with brain injuries getting NO treatment and killing themselves or someone else, people ending up dirt poor and homeless. Just look at all the state money the NFL gets from contracts with cities where stadiums are. Its a multi billion dollar mafia
Someone please make a 4-hour super-cut of Vince McMahon getting destroyed in the ring.
You just summed up Oliver's audience in one comment.
"Somebody do the thing I want done, but am not willing to do."
@Game Fish I could not have put it more simply.
you sir, are a genius
TrippyGSR if you don’t like people who watch John Oliver what does that make you someone who just paused the video and trolls the comments?
@TrippyGSR I don't understand why you're being a dick
I'm just a random person, reading the comments, admiring the fact that John Oliver was able to shine a light on an issue that both wrestling fans and non-fans can appreciate. 👏👏
Agreed.
WWE fans will ALWAYS choose the wrestlers first, whether from the 80's or now, the wrestlers truly have a committed and loving fanbase and I hope they know that. They made tens of millions people's childhoods incredible and we never forget that as adults.
Wrestling fans have absolutely no loyalty to WWE whatsoever, if it collapsed tomorrow and a new company took its place, no fan would really mind, wrestling fans are only loyal to the wrestlers
If McMahon would actually give his workers insurance he would still be rich guy. I sometimes don't understand how rich does a person have to be.
Exactly the point of progressives!
@katiekane5247 It truly is.
And I still see people rationalizing McMahon's dodge of responsibility. Smh. "Man who became billionaire by sacrificing his workers' bodies, minds, and futures watches in silence as they rely on charity from strangers to cover medical costs" is an insane dystopia to rationalize.
I never thought I'd have to explain that Scrooge McDucking while the people you sacrificed plead to strangers for charity is a moral failure, and any society that permits that injustice on a massive scale is a systemic moral failure.
Perhaps the drive to become rich is never actually fulfilled. Maybe it is about acquiring riches not reaching a specific goal.
Capitalism has one purpose: maximized profits. Therefore, exploiting workers is common place. Employees just become a cheap and disposable commodity to employers.
Typically the wealthier a person is the less empathetic they become, to personally suffer is to understand someone else's plight. When you are wealthy that goes right out the window.
I was really hoping they'd put john through that table at the end.
They had one job
😝👍
Well, it’s in the name of the show... “Unfortunately, not a guy exploding through a table”
I read that as "They had one jojo"
I see nothing wrong with that sentence.
Was just about to say this 😆
Just when I thought I couldn't think any higher of John Oliver, he shows pro wrestling love AND he takes WWE to task on their "independent contractor" bs.
Same here John is good in my book!!
7:14
“While the character Vince is an asshole, it’s important to know that the real Vince is also an asshole.”
Well, that aged a little too well.
For those non-wrestling fans, when Ventura says, "they control your life" he means it. They control your hair and if you change it, they punish you.
Rollin Kocher poor ru ru
Also if you want a tattoo you need to run it by them first to see if it's ok.
In a way I feel bad for the wrestlers but then again not so much. They went into this career knowing the health consequences and how their health coverage was going to not work for them. The wrestlers should refuse to work if their medical needs aren't taken care of since it is on job injuries that are sending them to the hospital. This is why Dwayne Johnson left the wrestling world.
People who like to put down pro wrestling fans and pro wrestling in general don’t seem to get how much crap these wrestlers go through. We as fans know and appreciate the work they put out.
@831mrscardoso You can't just leave the wrestling world. What else are you gonna do? Who's gonna hire someone with no job experience other than being a wrestler? It doesn't really qualify you for much. Johnson got incredibly, incredibly lucky, and not everyone of them can become a Hollywood actor. Especially many of the lesser known ones.
And yeah they entered knowing the health risks, but they didn't enter knowing that NO MATTER WHAT the WWE won't be held accountable for their injuries, that they have no health insurance, etc. Yeah, it's in their contract, but at that point, it's too late. This really should be illegal - and in fact, it is, it's just not being enforced properly.
When I started watching this I was like "really? a show about wrestlers?" and now I feel that this is something I'll never forget. These people clearly need to get better conditions from their EMPLOYER
The Rowdy Roddy Piper bit hit me really hard. 16:10
I had no idea WWE was so popular or that they had these conditions. I hope for a good result this Sunday.
Thanks for that. I was wondering where they were going to go with the show. I always dismissed wrestling as a joke and that the fans were idiots. This made me see that they are people, many struggling to earn a living. I hope the fans revolt and the wrestlers are treated fairly.
@LeSethX their contract are practically illegal, one thing they have in their contract is no complete cause for 90 days if released or if you let your contract expire. You can not put a no compete clause on a independent contractor, unless their employees then yes but yeah that is illegal
For all the snobbish sophistication people assume of TV and Hollywood writers, a significant portion of them love WWE.
Health insurance!
((Clap clap, clap clap clap)
Health insurance!
((clap clap, clap clap clap))
andre stokes *))
UNION! UNION!
It is time for medicare for all
Give them health care
((Clap clap, clap clap clap))
Give them health care
((Clap clap, clap clap clap))
Give them health care
((Clap clap, clap clap clap))
Yasha Unknown absolutely!
So with some recent Vince McMahon stuff coming out, perhaps a part 2 is warranted?
Edit : So now there's MORE stuff.
Fuck yes
He Has Just Announced His Retirement Because Of That.
God I hope so
What happened
Even more stuff.
As a wrestling fan I truly do want WWE to give recognition that the talent are Employees and not Independent Contractors
I disagree. For the most part they're replaceable, like baseball players (economically).
@krakenmetzger What do you mean? Please elaborate.
@krakenmetzger but the baseball players aren't independent contractors.
@krakenmetzger and the players aren't beating each other with the bats in a death match every game.
@ricksanchez6777 don't you think they should be?
"you are morally subterranean"
gonna steal that one
I hope I can remember this sentence when I need it.
Same
WWE is pure cringe 😂
Dam Son they sound like a Trump Rally
fatima al had an Autistic Kid obsessed it was easily after knowing our Pres history with WEE how his rallies were formatted good or bad it’s who ever gets the biggest attention from crowd
Americas most reliable health care: An Indiegogo campaign
Awwww Obamacare didn't save everyone?
@th3envyp238 That was just one step in the right direction, against massive republican obstructionism and outrage. People with a social consciuosness want to expand on that instead of creating incredible wealth among capitalism's aristocracy. So, no, it didn't. However if you still favour republican talking points and their resistance against further improvements, you must also think that Vince McMahon was the good guy in this video. Sorry, I just had to take the bait there.
@ArgueWithTheMajority If you still think either party gives a shit about you. Then you're a fucking idiot. Obama care gave people with no job full coverage. But if you work and make over 15k you're forced into a outrageously high deductible plan. And if you can't afford insurance while making over 15k, you get fined when you filed taxes. Most of the people filing bankruptcy today for medical debt have insurance. The companies run the country not the parties. Just look at who backed the politicians who signed Obamacare.
@ArgueWithTheMajority True. Still waiting on that other republican plan (yes the ACA is basically a republican/conservative think tank plan) they've been working on to replace it with - for over 8 years now.
@blacktenshu I have more issues than I care to share right now with America's quite undemocratic democracy. And if my previous comment did not let my distaste for capitalism (and thus corporate power over society) shine through enough for you, I'll clarify. America's democracy is in fact a two way street right now and dissatisfaction with both of them has been quite apparent over the last few years. I would recommend Americans who are seriously interested in improving general, societal, human well being to push the democratic party towards prioritizing such problems. Considering US society, that clearly includes pushing way farther towards the economic left and pressuring your politicians to do so. The explicit goal must be to use society as a vehicle for *everyone's* well being, including yours. On a global scale, creating as many indirect incentives to reshape our energy sources and management are required to prevent damages to the environments we depend upon, that are beyond most people's imagination. I get that you're angry but don't try finding enemies everywhere. Try finding honest allies.
The bad pan to the melon actually gave McMahon a concussion from what I've heard over the yrs. Stone Cold straight cracked him with it 🤣
Makes sense, it's not an opportunity most people get , to hit their boss in the face and try to make it look real, so why not put your back into it?
Couldn't've happened to a nicer guy.
😊🎉🎉🎉🎉
The near prophetic words of Roddy Piper about his death brough a tear to my eye. John rightly ripped Vince and WWE to shreds. The tiny segment involving Bret Hart was equally important. Brilliant episode.
Damn, I was wondering why he was no longer appearing on its always sunny, so sad to hear.
Relevant documentary: 'Hitman Hart - Wrestling with Shadows'
ruclips.net/video/L3wZhA5s3kI/video.html
Wasn't that clip he showed of Bret Hart from before Owen died? I thought the clip he showed of Bret was from after the Screwjob?
All along during that bit i was thinking about Kurt Angle. SO glad he's finally retiring but it might already be too late for him...
Brilliant episode from a brilliant man!
Sad Jake is getting emotional over $7k from fans, he helped make McMahon rich, he should be living more than comfortably. Vince sucks
Jake blew all of his money on drugs. He said so himself. It's not all on Vince.
@thebigtimechannel9927 Painkillers he became addicted to due to the necessity of long term use directly posed by his career. Which is still on Vince. Just for clarification.
@smoketnt5290 Ah, I'm impressed. The vast majority end up with opioid addictions. If what you say is true, congrats on finding a good exception.
@saradanhoff6539 Jake was addicted before he was with wwf, just like so many wrestlers were. 80's wrestling were full of tragic stories like Jake's.
@thebigtimechannel9927 What comes into play there is why wrestlers get addicted to drugs. You'll find stories of wrestlers using drugs (prescription or hard) and even alcohol to try to numb the pain from what they're going through. Jake was popular during a time where wrestlers were really putting their bodies through the grinder. So popping pills or doing some sort of hard drugs because for a little amount of time it causes whatever pain you're experiencing to go away wasn't uncommon.
Like John mentioned, these wrestlers work through the year. Multiple shows a week and no off season like you see in other sports. There's no time for them to have their bodies rest and recover naturally. So they end up reaching for drugs to help them through those times.
Petition to change Game of Thrones to Game of Unfortunately, Not a Guy Exploding Through a Table
WWE doesn’t have an undead dragon who shoots blue flames ridden by an ice covered dude though.
@SomethingtoappeaseGoogle-1024 YET.
@Zhilbar 😂😂👌
Or alternately petition to add to Game of Thrones lots of scenes of guys exploding through tables.... also dragons exploding through tables #clagnethroughatable
@SomethingtoappeaseGoogle-1024 No but they had "Ultimo Dragon" which is pretty much the best Dragon to ever live or Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
I love it when John makes a "Call to Action" because sometimes it works, but always raises awareness.
THE ROCK Had to Move on as fast as he could....Smart man
Still works with them part time. Will probably be there to promote his next film.
he still appears there
He got out at his prime!!!!
The WWE actually owns the name - "The Rock". Dwayne Johnson can only use "The Rock" with the WWE's permission.
holymolie wait really
*EVERY WRESTLING FAN MUST WATCH THIS VIDEO*
He is so on point with it all
I never put attention on this guy, but he was definitely right on most of the stuff, probably everything
@crowns9966 put some attention on him then, he generally is right on everything.
Not even just wrestling fans. Every human being who wants to see hardworking men and women be treated with respect should watch this video.
Most wrestling fans I've known wouldn't give a shit.
At least, Dwayne Johnson and John Cena found a safe exist.
Yes. On a lesser extent, people like Edge and Trish Stratus made it out OK financially wise.
Even Paige isn't released completely. WWE is fucked and required some adjustments.
I like that your comment makes sense both with and without (what I assume is) your typo. Both of those guys are wonderful
But them Juice/roids is stiffening their heart.
I dunno man... I have to watch John Cena ride a purple cow in commercials every once in a while
18:37 No the crowd isn't saying "BOOOOO!" They're saying "BOOOOOOOOOY Do we love that Roman Reigns!"
To anyone who gets this reference, I legitimately love you.
Booooourns!!!!
They're not saying "BOOO!" They're saying "Huuugh!" having made the common mistake of confusing Roman Reigns with Hugh Grant. What with his dashing looks and charisma.
@ryanstatt9910 "I was saying Boourns..." :(
John Oliver finishing move would just be him presenting you with facts until you fall to the ground under the weight of your own inadequacy.
I call it the diatribe of destruction
so Phoenix Wright?
His tag-team move will be the manslaughter monologue (Yes, monologues are a solo act, that's the point)
he should battle Phoenix Wright
Best. Comment. Ever.
Unless you've developed a natural immunity to facts and reality and they no longer have any sway over you. You know, like Trump supporters.
19:30-20:00
I kid you not, I legitimately teared up there. Bless that man and those people who helped him out.
Edit: Never got this many likes before. Thanks, guys!
Hama Hama the whole documentary is a massive cry fest. I couldn't recommend it enough.
Hama Hama same here
I haven't watched wrestling since WWF in the 90s, but this video is pretty awesome. Diamond Dallas Page, the guy sitting next to Jake the Snake in the segment you mentioned, is amazing. I'm not surprised he was somehow involved with the most touching moment of this video.
If you haven't heard of DDP Yoga, his business/ organization, you should check out their RUclips videos. Arthur Boorman's transformation is so good. I watch it like once per year. lol DDP's super inspirational and has helped a lot of people, former wrestlers and everyday people. :)
Hama Hama and also consider that Jake Roberts is one of the people who made McMahon rich. He should be living comfortably.
That made me sad at first but then really angry. Just another sociopath "capitalist" pawning their responsibility off on other citizens, just another form of corporate welfare.
Vince plays the evil business corporate heel so well on WWE because it really fits him. In some ways he's just adding to his act.
This video has gotten more views than Monday Night Raw.
Keep it up folks.
The sad thing is that you're not wrong.
@repentgaming5416 Why's that sad?
That's not a sad thing.
That's a happy thing.
How do you measure a 3 hour TV show's views I wonder? 3M Live Viewers vs 4.7M Unique Views. Which one do you think is more.
Not really true. We're talking about views after the airing. If we're doing that for this, we should do it for RAW's over 1000 episodes.
Raw also draws more viewership than NFL, NBA, and MLB.
I like where your head's at. I get the joke. But it's not true.
"What are you doing you weird weird man?!" John... that is something WWE fans have been asking for decades and we STILL have no idea!
samuraitiger19 best comment 😂 hell, he could have talked all day about Vince McMahon and his stories in and outside of the ring- that guy is weird
John Oliver cuts a better promo than most of WWE’s talent today. 🤣
CrimsonPhantasms and he reads a script like wwe now 😂 and he still speaks better than Charlotte flair when she was on raw
“Wrestling is better than the things you like.” - John Oliver 😂😂😂
Well said John, well said.
Gotta say man, I'm not usually the biggest John Oliver fan. You did a lot of work here man, showed heart and stood up for the performers and the industry. I respect the hell out of this.
are you an ex wwe wrestler by any chance..?? just curious
Naw mang. Just a dude.
Ultimo Bot idk, he basically told the fans to shit on the biggest show of the year for the wrestlers and to some wrestlers, the biggest moment of their career. They are trying to put on a show and it’s going to be ignored because this guy told them to hijack the show.
@stevemygoodman7809 considering those moments of stardom may very Well lead to An early Grave i think they are still going to be better off in the long-term if this actually chances something.
Akshat Bajpai you think Kofi wants his moment to be hijacked? Becky Lynch? Seth Rollins? He wrestled in the Indys. He knows how much better WWE is compared to the Indys. What about AJ Styles. He knows how much rougher it is in the independents.
Instead of hijacking the show, just don’t show up. Stop watching, but don’t ruin it for everyone else.
Now it makes sense when I was wondering why it took so long for The Undertaker to retire
He took so long because they pay him a million a match. This is not about him
His love of the wrestling industry like he has openly stated in interviews...?
Besides, as far as i know, Taker actually has started a side business a long time ago, to be financially secured should he one day no longer be able to or want to wrestle again.
He only wrestles 1-2 a year for the last 5 years and gets over a million per match which last less than 15 minutes each. other than that hes wrestled long because for the most part he has had large spans where he was injury free
he should try to be like his "brother", who spend his money wisely to make his own company & now even became a mayor
This is extremely eye opening for all of us wrestling fans. We need to help current and former superstars. This cannot continue
Your not a wrestling fan if you didn't know about this , the ultimate warrior was doing this Dance with Vince in the 80s
Yes we need to help those people that get paid $3 million a year. Let's help Wal-Mart, McDonald's and Wal-Mart ceos too. Let's raise money for Jeff bezos cause he only gets an $83,000 a year salary which isn't even a living wage according to teachers that work 180 days for the same pay that poor Jeff has to work 12 hour days year round for. And who is paying for Jeff bezos health insurance?
@Hadi Purwanto tell them to quit then. Tell tripple h to quit is $2.8 million a year job and go flip burgers so he can have benefits and not get hurt. Tell the rock....whos best year made $65 million between movies and wrestling to quit letting himself be exploited in crappy action movies and to go lay brick with the Mexicans so he has work comp.
@Hadi Purwanto and the rock wouldn't be making $65 million a year if it wasn't for that capitalist leader.
@Hadi Purwanto why don't you call the wrestlers up and tell them come work for you. You are going to start a new wrestling league. And you'll work for free so they aren't exploited. You'll give them an hourly wage and benefits.
This piece needs a sequel
Fun fact, Roman gladiators had unions in place for fares needs for fallen gladiators funerals and provide aid to families. They were well conpincated and given the best medical care of their time. Roman gladiators were seen as valuable commodities and well treated in response.
So remember an empire built by slaves that kidnapped people and preyed on the poor, used them for a literal BLOOD SPORT were better treat then WWE wrestlers.
Gladiators were also slaves fighting to the death for their freedom.
Only the ones that were freed and kept fighting got paid....
According to Forbes, a WWE wrestler on the roster makes $500,000 a year, with top-wrestlers making $1 million or more a year. Not saying that excuses everything, however they can definitely afford their own health insurance.
According to work.chron.com/much-money-professional-wrestler-usually-make-year-24583.html, the average wrestler makes $47,000 per year.
*compensated just fyi but thanks for the info
@simul8rduude Gladiators actually very rarely fought to the death.
SO many companies abuse independent contractors.
I mean, capitalism in general does. This is just a loophole that exists and gives us a faint idea of what it was like before worker protection laws.
Yeah the wwe are not the only ones abusing the independent contractor rules. But dont expect any change to that now.
Call centers and tech companies, in particular, are notorius for this.
Ok but are the people working for them dieing mostly below the age of 45?
@theoriginalamr
Don't forget animation and famine studios (although I guess they both fall under 'tech' now).
Oh and retail workers, and anyone who relies on tips, and cooking staff (who are often not even paid minimum wage)... the list goes on :(
Having only independant contractors also mean McMahon does not pay any payroll taxes. He is stiffing FICA (social security and medicare) out of taxes he should be paying.
Ooo who can fix that?
@Cinnabar Island wow I didn't know that. Dear God help us !!!! Voting for me is worthless, my vote never counts. I'm in a red stupid state
Eat the rich!
@beeonthyme5760That's when your vote matters the most.
Yeah. But since the wrestlers are independent contractors, they pay for FICA via the self employment tax.
16:51 In a whole segment of depressing reveals, for a brief moment I swear you could just feel the air leave the studio when John revealed Roddy's untimely death.
"When you lost the moral high ground to the f**king NFL, you are morally subterranean"
This is gold :)
Yes but were are they ranked against FIFA?
And the NFL has been losing money and high schools are prepared to drop football because the sport is too dangerous for kids.
And WWE has taken steps to improving talent safety. Too many concussions means they can’t hire you. Too many concussions on their watch means they may let you go and will give you a severance package to help get you started towards another career path or they find another job for you like Corey Graves who’s now a commentator.